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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27274894">I Will Always Be Here For You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_jennifer_prentiss/pseuds/ssa_jennifer_prentiss'>ssa_jennifer_prentiss</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, JJ is sad, emily makes it better, roslyn's death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 03:22:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,339</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27274894</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_jennifer_prentiss/pseuds/ssa_jennifer_prentiss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A recent case hits JJ hard. Emily is there to help her. Set after 3x15</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Will Always Be Here For You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The team had just returned from a case in Pittsburgh. The unsub was killing his victims in ways that made it seem like suicide. This case hit JJ a little harder than she cared to admit. She had never given herself a chance to cope with and grieve her sister’s death. The fact that this case was so close to her hometown didn’t help either.</p>
<p>She made her way to her office, closing the door behind her. Taking a seat at her desk, she looked at the countless files sitting in front of her knowing she had a lot of work ahead of her. It was early evening and she figured she could stay a few more hours. She had attempted to take a nap on the flight home, but every time she closed her eyes she saw Roslyn.</p>
<p>Sighing, she ran her hand through her hair before picking up a file from the large stack on her desk. She only made it through a few when she heard a knock on the door.</p>
<p>“Come in,” she called without looking up. Emily stepped in and shut the door behind her. “Hey Em,” she said with a small smile. Since the day they met, Emily’s presence always made JJ feel a little better.</p>
<p>“Hey Jayje, I… um… I just wanted to see if you were okay? Maybe I was reading you wrong and I hope I’m not overstepping by asking, but you just seemed kind of… off.”</p>
<p>JJ looked down at her hands, she really thought she hid how the case affected her. Of course, if anyone were to notice it would be Emily. Her and Emily had spent a lot of time swapping stories and getting to know each other on a deeper level, but Roslyn was a topic she always avoided. There were so many unresolved feelings and so much grief that came along with it.</p>
<p>“JJ?” Emily’s voice brought her out of her thoughts.</p>
<p>“Oh, sorry. I’m fine. It’s been a long week and I have all of these files to get through.” She smiled at Emily, not sure of how long she could keep speaking before breaking.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to push, but it seems like a bit more than that. Ever since we started this case you just haven’t seemed like yourself.”</p>
<p>JJ bit her lip and looked down at her hands again. “This one just hit a little close to home,” her voice wavered slightly as she spoke. She quickly blinked back the tears she felt spring to her eyes.</p>
<p>“Can we talk about it?” Emily asked softly and motioned toward the small couch that sat against the window in JJ’s office.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, Em. It’s a lot.”</p>
<p>“I’m here to listen when you need it Jayje. Please talk to me.” She patted the seat on the couch beside her. JJ just sat and looked at her for a second. What did she do to deserve someone like Emily? </p>
<p>She made her way over to the couch, sitting down right next to Emily. She was nervous to talk about Roslyn. She spent so much time shoving down her feelings and refusing to deal with her grief. She knew she could trust Emily, but the thought of this conversation still scared her. Emily could feel the nerves radiating off of JJ. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on her arm.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want Jen.”</p>
<p>JJ shook her head, “No, I need to. I’ve just never really talked about this with anyone before.” She reached for Emily’s hand and tangled their fingers together. </p>
<p>“Whenever you’re ready,” Emily gave her fingers a gentle squeeze, “I’m right here.” JJ nodded. They sat there in silence a little longer while JJ tried to collect her thoughts.</p>
<p>JJ sat staring across the room, gripping Emily’s hand like a life line. “I had an older sister,” she began, trying her best to keep her voice steady, “Her name was Roslyn. She was my best friend.” She took a deep breath before continuing, “When she was 17, she uh… she took my dad’s razor and…” She trailed off, not being able to finish as she began to cry harder.</p>
<p>Emily quickly wrapped her arms around JJ tightly, holding her close while she cried. “Shh Jay, you’re alright.” She ran her fingers through JJ’s hair in an attempt to soothe her. JJ sat clinging to Emily until she was able to calm herself enough to talk.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry,” she said as a few more tears slipped out, “It was so long ago, I don’t know why it hit me so hard.”</p>
<p>“You don’t need to apologize,” she reached up to wipe the stray tears from JJ’s cheeks, “Losing someone you love is never easy. There are going to be some days that are harder than others and that’s okay.”</p>
<p>“This case just brought up some unresolved feelings I guess.”</p>
<p>“Talking through them might make you feel a little better,” she smiled softly, “I’m here to help if you’ll let me.”</p>
<p>“Can we maybe not do this here?”</p>
<p>“We can go to my place. I’ve got wine and a much comfier couch.”</p>
<p>“You had me at wine,” she stood and grabbed her bag. Her and Emily made their way out of the office to their cars. It was about a half hour drive to Emily’s which gave JJ time to prepare herself for the conversation about the feelings she knew she needed to address before they ate her alive.</p>
<p>They arrived at Emily’s apartment, and made their way inside. “Would you like something a bit more comfortable to wear?” Emily asked.</p>
<p>“That would be great,” JJ smiled, taking the sweatshirt and shorts from Emily. They changed quickly before heading to the living room.</p>
<p>JJ sat against the armrest of the couch and tucked her feet under her. Emily grabbed two glasses and a bottle of wine from the kitchen. She sat the glasses on the coffee table before settling next to JJ. That sat in a comfortable silence, sipping their wine when JJ finally spoke.</p>
<p>“I was only eleven when it happened,” she took a deep breath and continued, “I was the one who found her.” The tears threatened to fall from her eyes again. </p>
<p>“Oh Jayje…” she spoke softly, reaching her hand out to rub soothing circles on JJ’s thigh.</p>
<p>“Ever since we started this case I haven’t been able to sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see her in that bath tub,” the tears were flowing more freely now.</p>
<p>“Honey, why didn’t you mention it? Maybe I could’ve helped.”</p>
<p>“I’ve never told anyone about this. It always makes me feel guilty. I should’ve seen it, I should’ve done something.”</p>
<p>“Hey, look at me,” she lifted JJ’s chin so their eyes met, “None of this is your fault. You were eleven, there’s not much you could’ve known.”</p>
<p>“I miss her so much,” she collapsed into Emily’s arms. Emily just let her cry, knowing she needed this. JJ pulled back after a few minutes, her voice hoarse from crying, “I never got to process her death. I always had to be the strong one for my parents, especially my mom. I’m usually fine when cases deal with suicide… but this one… this one just got to me.”</p>
<p>“There are going to be bad days and bad cases,” she tucked a piece of blonde hair behind JJ’s ear, “And that’s okay. Can you promise me something?” JJ nodded. “When you do have a bad day, or a case is too much, promise me you’ll let me know?”</p>
<p>“I promise,” JJ smiled at Emily and pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.</p>
<p>“Always.” JJ turned so she was tucked into Emily’s side. They sat content and cuddled together, watching a movie. JJ felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had never been more thankful for someone than she was for Emily in that moment.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading! please let me know your thoughts!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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